Osteospermum plant named ‘Fidostnanowhi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Osteospermum  plant named ‘Fidostnanowhi’, characterized by its compact and mounding plant habit; freely branching growth habit; early and freely flowering habit; daisy-type inflorescences with white-colored ray florets; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Osteospermum ecklonis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FIDOSTNANOWHI’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Fidostnanowhi’.

The new Osteospermum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective of the program is to create and develop new compact Osteospermum plants that are freely branching, early and freely flowering and have attractive inflorescence coloration.

The new Osteospermum plant originated from a cross-pollination by the Inventor in May, 2006 of a proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number O 45706, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number O 67237, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Osteospermum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Lier, The Netherlands in October, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Osteospermum plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Lier, The Netherlands since Nov. 1, 2006, has shown that the unique features of this new Osteospermum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Osteospermum have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Fidostnanowhi’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Fidostnanowhi’ as a new and distinct Osteospermum plant:

-   -   1. Compact and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit.     -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Daisy-type inflorescences with white-colored ray florets.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Osteospermum differ from plants of the female parent selection primarily in leaf orientation as plants of the new Osteospermum flower have flat leaves whereas plants of the female parent selection have curly leaves.

Plants of the new Osteospermum differ from plants of the male parent selection primarily in branch diameter as plants of the new Osteospermum have thicker lateral branches than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Osteospermum can be compared to plants of the Osteospermum ‘Fidostwhi’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,548. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Osteospermum differed primarily from plants of ‘Fidostwhi’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Osteospermum were more compact than plants         of ‘Fidostwhi’.     -   2. Plants of the new Osteospermum flowered earlier than plants         of ‘Fidostwhi’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Osteospermum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Osteospermum plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of typical flowering plants of ‘Fidostnanowhi’ grown in container trays.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph, following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the spring in container trays, each tray with six 9-cm compartments, in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Lier, The Netherlands and under environmental conditions and cultural practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Osteospermum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 17° C. to 35° C. and night temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 25° C. Plants were eleven weeks old when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Osteospermum ecklonis ‘Fidostnanowhi’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number O 45706, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number O 67237, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About six days at 22° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About one week at 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, summer.—About twelve days             at 22° C. to 30° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, winter.—About two weeks at             20° C. to 25° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; whitish grey             in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact and mounding plant habit;             relatively short internodes, dense and bushy growth habit;             moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 19 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 15 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Quantity per plant: Freely branching habit             with about eleven lateral branches developing per plant;             pinching is not required, however pinched plants will be             larger than non-pinched plants. Length: About 8 cm to 12 cm.             Diameter: About 2 mm to 4 mm. Internode length: About 1 cm             to 2 cm. Strength: Strong, sturdy. Aspect: About 20° to 45°             from vertical. Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color: Close to             144C.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple;             sessile. Length: About 6 cm. Width: About 3 cm. Shape:             Elliptic. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Lobed;             serrate. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture,             lower surface: Sparsely pubescent. Venation pattern:             Pinnate. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to             137B. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A; venation,             close to 145C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 147B; venation, close to 145B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescence form with elliptic to             slightly obovate-shaped ray florets; inflorescences             positioned beyond the foliar plane on moderately strong             peduncles; inflorescences terminal and axillary;             inflorescences face upright; ray and disc florets developing             acropetally on a capitulum.         -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering habit; about 20 to 30             inflorescences developing per plant.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering response.—In The Netherlands, plants of the new             Osteospermum flower continuously from spring to frost in the             autumn; early flowering habit, plants begin flowering about             seven weeks after planting.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—At temperatures of 14° C. to 20°             C., inflorescences last about 2.5 weeks on the plant;             inflorescences persistent.         -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About             1.2 cm. Shape: Globular to ovoid. Color: Close to 137A.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 6 cm. Depth (height):             About 1 cm. Disc diameter: About 1.2 cm. Receptacle             diameter: About 1 cm. Receptacle height: About 4 mm.             Receptacle color: Close to 146A.         -   Ray florets.—Length: About 3.2 cm. Width: About 8 mm. Shape:             Elliptic to slightly obovate. Apex: Rounded to slightly             obtuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous; satiny. Number of ray florets per inflorescence             and arrangement: About 17 to 20 in 1.5 whorls. Color: When             opening, upper surface: Close to NN155D. When opening, lower             surface: Longitudinal stripes, close to N79A, N79B and N79C;             at the margins, close to NN155D. Fully opened, upper             surface: Close to NN155D; color becoming closer to N155D             with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Longitudinal             stripes, close to N79A, N79B, N79C and 186C; at the margins,             close to NN155D; color does not fade with development.         -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular; apex dentate, five-pointed.             Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm to 1.5 mm. Number             of disc florets per inflorescence: About 70 to 80. Color,             immature: Apex: Close to 90A. Mid-section: Close to NN155D.             Base: Close to NN155D. Color, mature: Apex: Close to 94A.             Mid-section: Close to NN155D. Base: Close to NN155D.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 17 in 1.5             whorls. Length: About 9 mm. Width: About 1 mm to 3 mm.             Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Truncate. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely             pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 146A. Color, lower             surface: Close to 138A.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncles: About 9 cm. Length,             axillary peduncles: About 10 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: Mostly upright.             Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Filament length: About 3 mm. Filament color: Close to             NN155D. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther length: About 2 mm.             Anther color: Close to N77A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen             color: Close to 15B. Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc             florets. Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted.             Stigma color: Close to 79A. Style length: About 4 mm. Style             color: Close to NN155D. Ovary color: Close to NN155D.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Osteospermum. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have not     been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Osteospermums. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have been     observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind     and temperatures ranging from about 4° C. to about 35° C. 

1. A new and distinct Osteospermum plant named ‘Fidostnanowhi’ as illustrated and described. 